I could agree and say that street rappers being on better production is one thing and it could really help them, but the biggest questions is:

"Do the rappers want to take the risk?"

And

"Are fans going to accept and want more out of this direction from the rapper?"

And

"Is the industry going to push for more rappers (or just artists in general) to try more ideas?"

Until I see these things come into fruition then no. I don't see rap getting any bigger or better, if nobody in mainstream landscape tryna push for change.

Yes, we had a snap era during the early 2000s and there was a trash in those eras, but you had Hov dropping classics with variety of sounds to choose from. You had 50 that had a sound that influence Gangsta rap for years during that era. And you had Ruff Ryders and X (DMX) with their own identity.

And in the middle, you had Wayne taking all these influences in and crafting a style that would help him kill the game for the next 5-6 years.

And mind you that era is completely different from today. Because rap and music at the time was still mostly regional unlike nowadays where everything is completely universal with the help of the internet. So any collective or label or group from their respective had to create something unique for their branding

Rappers nowadays don't have that at all, because the whole industry is connected like never before.

Yes, the uses of splices samples, music lessons being thrown out of schools are a extreme problem to why beats are extremely lazy, but what about the dudes that actually know how to play multiple instruments and know music theory and know how to make more expansive beats without needing loops that much.

Again, I blame the labels and fans for not supporting the creative producers that are willing to give an industry a whole new sound and make it mainstream.

Until these things happen. I don't see rap changing much.

Rap is fine. Rapping is in decline.

Hip Hop geeks out here looking like Hair Metal,Beavis And Butthead motherfuckers nowadays. Yes,the culture is dead,hot infiltrated by white people/outsiders and they left the party as soon as the trash started piling up. You can only talk about guns and murder so much until you wanna hear something more positive and enjoyable.

And you can only talk about swag,fashion and how much your gear cost until you start looking stupid af to casual people at fashion shows/Met Gala. The s*** been played and now its coming to a complete standstill.

I said non indie btw if we need that clarified again

You underground hiphop fans can calm tf down

You good man

For years people been speculating on what would come next after hip hop. Idk if any of us anticipated that hip hop would be the last musical movement of the people

Thanks, it’s a post two posts under that original one talking about listening to only five rappers under that one tho with 7 likes…like do you niggas read or have the common sense to know I’m talking about mainstream/more well known rap

Imagine listening to current rap

I'm forced to hear some of it on new video game soundtracks and s*** is like nails to a chalkboard plays Chronic

I think it’s because over reliance on vocal effects and no substance

Also the fact hip-hop is an avenue for those with no other options

Rap sucks because its no growth, lacks accountability and its capitalistic bullshit with no self awareness

Poverty is becoming more common and it will continue I doubt people want to listen to some man baby rapping about f***ing ig hoes, popping pills, and shooting your peers. Most of these new rappers need therapist and not record deals.

— Adorno, circa 1940.

I agree with your post 100 percent and you are right.

There are more troubling times ahead, this is just beginning of the end.

I think rap will go through a renaissance. I think all this bad s*** we go on for a little bit and then we’ll get some change.

Old heads born in the 80s want the 90s back and it isn’t happening

Old heads like me born in the early 90s want to see another renaissance like we saw in the blog era but it’s never happening

Mid 90s babies want to see another SoundCloud resurgence like we had with the emo rap wave but it’s not happening either.

We are at the mercy of the youth and what the youth like. Attention spans are shorter than ever. There is no artistry in this s*** anymore on a commercial level. Yes we have lesser known artists and our personal favorites who still give us legitimate artistry. But the problem is as we age someone else has to take over. We don’t even get legitimate commercial superstars anymore. Everything sounds the same. Everything aims to be Tik tok bait now since that’s the best way to catch a buzz. Making music is far too accessible now that people who have no business doing so can make a quick catchy 1-2 minute track and go viral.

Again. We can’t rely on the 27+ club to make music forever. We also have to acknowledge that the youth aren’t making music for us. The dynamic of how kids digest music is even different now where what they like today they hate tomorrow. There is no nostalgia for any of it. It’s just forgotten and what’s next.

Idk. I used to feel like I was just being a stubborn old man and I try to be open minded. But nah. This s*** really just sucks.

The funny part is it’s not just the trap music being over saturated. Even these younger conscious artists kinda suck too. It’s just bad all around atm

I also think too Like,

I think the art of Hip-Hop is in the best place it's ever been

So from that perspective, Hip-Hop isn't dying. There's something for everyone. With the amount of people that have smart phones, access to music has never been easier. Everyone still listens to music. It's just not a spectacle anymore because 50 Cent / Kanye / Hov / Drake / Wayne are or have aged out.

But the spectacle of culture, and the spectacle of entertainment, was and will always be rooted in iconography, romanticism, allure, aura, this is why most love music acts so much.

Most people are and will always be, passive music listeners. That's who's actually reflected in the business part of the music business, it's the casual consumer.

Why does that matter? Well, if the listener is a casual one, then they have no real strong relationship with the art. So, if you can't build acts that they know and recognize without having to put in any effort, they will just move on to the next song, album, podcast, with little to no care in the world.

It truly all goes back to the music business's inability to create new and truly transcendent stars. I know we like to think stars are who they are because their music is that great, but it's mostly the billing, the presentation of the act.

It’s fascinating how well have this convo over and over but this is probably one of the biggest resources to create a platform to solve it whether it’s this site itself (Lowkey/KTT2) expanding into a platform or the collection of minds on here

Aside from social media and stylistic things that will never come back, a lack of a platform is the biggest problem. 106 and Park is where I fell in love with this s*** as a kid

god dam u sexy kuz

pop culture emerged in the 1920s and since then every sort of consumer-oriented cultural trend has been born, evolved, and sidelined. Rock music is alive but has been completely side-lined since the 00's. I think hip hop clearly had its time, and after being so thoroughly deconstructed and extracted throughout the 2010s, it can be pretty easily tossed aside and assume the position of rock and roll today.

🤣

idk but billy woods and destroy lonely just dropped so its here to stay for me

the mcu formula with that specific type of humor and color grading = the street rapper starter pack formula since 2017 lol

Shout out to Brave talkin all soft with that smooth classic butter caramel voice just oozing out my speakers

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